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My father used to be an accountant. He loved numbers so much he gave me maths textbooks as presents. Unfortunately, Birthday + Algebra did not = Gratitude on my part.

But my dad was simply passing on his passions. And what could be more loving than the gift of early numeracy exercises to boost academic aptitude? The dream was that one day his son might become a doctor, an actuary, or even an accountant. Sorry, Dad.

Now, many years later (I could be more precise but I find the mental arithmetic triggering), the shoe is on the other foot and I am the proud parent of a tiny human-shaped blank canvas.

This 18-month-old sponge is currently programming itself by mimicking everything her parents are doing: reading back to us from a kids' book in an incomprehensible babble, putting her tiny feet into our shoes and trying to walk in them, swiping back and forth on a smartphone while neglecting us like a bad parent.

Often, I stare into my daughter's innocent face — a face so eager to learn, so impressionable, so full of world-is-her-oyster aphorisms. It is in these quiet moments I am lost in thought, pondering the important questions in life: when is the best time to introduce her to Star Wars? Do I start with the prequels or the original trilogy? What if she doesn't like Seinfeld!? Can I still love her unconditionally if she doesn't appreciate '90s Britpop?

To gain some insight into such earth-shattering dilemmas, I spoke with parents who have tried to pass on their passions to their kids.

Is it ever fair to indoctrinate our children with our interests? Is there a right way to go about it? And what happens when, inevitably, they begin to think our awesome obsessions are uncool?

The geek mum

"We're a geek family, with a capital G," says Waverly Gares, a mother of three and a lifelong Star Wars fan.

"With each new instalment we dress up in our Star Wars shirts or costumes to see them at the cinema, skirting the M rating for the little kids because it's Star Wars after all, an integral part of their pop culture education."

She insists that Star Wars movies should definitely be watched in the order they were released.

When it came to Harry Potter, she admits her enthusiasm to share sometimes took precedence over parenting wisdom.

"I remember reading the part about Harry seeing his dead parents in the Mirror of Erised, then looking up to see my son in tears."

Cue a few days of nightmares of his parents dying and some deep, teary talks about death.

"So in retrospect, Year 1 is a bit too early to get started on the books."

One danger of rediscovering childhood gems with your kids is finding out your favourite things may not have survived the test of time.

"There have been some issues rescreening films we loved as kids to our kids, and then realising how truly offensive some bits are," laments Waverly.

"So we talk it through with the kids, hope they'll not notice it too much or it won't shape them into sexist, racist homophobes, or just talk loudly through the more offensive dialogue/'accidentally' hit the fast-forward button over some scenes."

Waverly believes that one of the most important roles as parents is to teach kids to embrace who they are, and do what makes them happy.

"Also, we always say to the kids that home is a safe space, so say what you will and we can discuss it, and there's no shame. So if my son thinks Star Trek is better than Star Wars he'd be dead wrong, but entitled to feel that way and share his passion."

The magical father and daughter

"Parents who show kids what they do with enthusiasm and enjoyment will likely give their children the bug to investigate further," says Leslie Cohen, a veteran magician from Melbourne who has been performing for over 40 years.

"If they do catch the bug, don't push, but encourage them and show your own delight, whether the kids get it right or wrong. Eventually, they will come to respect you and want to carry on the tradition."

His daughter Lee was infected with the bug at age eight, when she began assisting her father at his magic shows.

"At that time it was more something fun I could do with my dad," Lee says. "I became more interested in magic for myself when I was in my late teens."

Lee has grown up to become a fully-fledged performer and the most recent president of the Australian Institute of Magicians. She also teaches magic workshops at the Arts Centre Melbourne for the next generation of Harrys and Hermiones.

Like her father, she believes parents should pass on their passions with care. But with a caveat.

"Let children discover it for themselves," she says.

"If you tell them everything before they have the chance to discover it for themselves, there's no fun left in it for them. Be patient, think back to your own journey and let them go on theirs."

The comic-book fan

The journey for Tom Taylor is one that begins with a childhood love of Superman and continues to him becoming a #1 New York Times bestselling comic book writer. His slate for DC, Marvel and Dark Horse includes All New Wolverine, Superior Iron Man, X-Men and Star Wars.

When he first started writing comics professionally (Star Wars: Invasion), he was worried about sharing his stories with his children because they were violent.

"I couldn't say, 'Look! See that Jedi who's just been stabbed through the chest? Dad did that!'

"I was so committed to sharing my favourite storytelling medium in the world with my kids that I actually co-created a comic series with James Brouwer for my boys called The Deep."

He now regularly visits the comic store with his two children who love their own books — some of which Tom would never ever consider reading.

"I still hassle them to read certain books and characters, and they flat-out refuse. But what was important to me wasn't the heroes so much as the medium. And I'm so glad they're both avid comic readers."

The music lover

Try as we might to influence them, children will often choose their own paths that may differ from their parents.

"Between my wife and I, we have a wide and eclectic taste in music," says Josh Earl, the comedian-songsmith, podcaster and host of the ABC's Spicks And Specks.

Josh is into bands of the "more rockier, indie persuasion". His wife is a music teacher who studied music at university and listens to "electronic stuff, Philip Glass and Arvo Pärt". With that pedigree, you'd expect their two children to have eclectic tastes. Not so.

"If they had their choice, they would listen to the Trolls soundtrack on repeat for infinity," he says.

When Josh put on some Bob Dylan recently, his kids thought the music legend's voice was hilarious and started making Dylan impressions.

"I've also noticed they both like hip hop a lot so have cultivated a kid-friendly playlist that gets a good run. De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, OutKast," Josh says.

"I also thought they'd love Jim Henson like I did as a kid and created this playlist with a bunch of Muppets songs and Sesame Street stuff. But they find it too sad and just yell at me to turn it off!"

Let your kids find their own passion

Image Just because you dream of running away to join the circus, don’t expect your children to follow you.(ABC Life: Stacy Gougoulis)

Josh believes it's best not to force your interests on kids, but rather let them witness your passion for it.

"Possibly when I was in my early 20s, I would have taken it personally if someone didn't like the music I liked. But now I realise the discovery of a passion is more important than just being passionate about something," he says.

"Parents should just be patient and not worry too much if your child doesn't have a 'thing' yet. They'll find it."

Tom suggests it should be a two-way street.

"Sharing fandom can't be a dictatorship. It has to go both ways," he says.

"When your children want to share something with you, sit down and share it with them. And don't talk it down. Let them see that what they dig is important, too.

"Sure, these days it means falling into a lot of YouTube holes, but my kids have introduced me to a lot of great entertainment in those deep YouTube crevasses."

Ultimately, everything you love will be seen as uncool

"Kids have probably always called their parents lame, uncool or embarrassing," Waverley warns. "But I think deep down, they also take comfort in that.

"Parents who can embrace a regenerating double-hearted time travelling space alien who travels in a telephone box will be more receptive to those who stand outside the norm. So in turn they'll provide an environment where questioning, wondering, experimenting, and challenging all that confines us and others, is welcomed.

"Personally, I think the world needs more of that."

Josh is not at all worried whether his kids will think he's cool or not: "The older I get, I realise that kindness is way more important than coolness. Cool fades, kindness is forever."

I imagine his kids in the background, mimicking their dad in crude Dylan voices: "Cool faaades, kindness is foreveeeeer."

I don't know what obsessions and interests my daughter is going to be into as she grows up. I can't wait to find out. In the meantime, I will play Common People by Pulp, nice and loud, during her next nappy change.